U N I V E R S I T Y o f C A L I F O R N I A

B ARDEN
OTANICAL
G
Volume 25, Number 3 Published by the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL GARDEN at Berkeley Summer 2000

Library Named for Myrtle Wolf

E veryone here at the Botanical Garden is thrilled to have
heard recently that the University approved our proposal
to name the new botanical and horticultural reference library
at the University of California Botanical Garden in honor of
Myrtle Wolf.
Myrtle Wolf ’s association with the Garden is both multi-
faceted and enduring. She has been associated with the
Garden through active participation in a multitude of volun-
teer activities. These range from regular Garden weeding for-
ays with Wayne Roderick and propagating plants in all of the
propagation departments for the plant sales soon after the
plant sales were begun, to being an enthusiastic member of
the original Board of the Friends of the Botanical Garden.
Myrtle Wolf ’s association with the Garden however, goes
well beyond these activities of working for and in the
Garden, as she has known the Garden both at its original site

Photos by Gladys Eaton

on campus and since its move to the Strawberry Canyon in
the 1930’s. She gives lively accounts of what the Garden site
was like as a dairy farm, having ridden horses through the
canyon as a young girl.
While Myrtle’s PhD. is in Psychology, she also completed
a Master’s degree in Botany at Cal. Her visits here as a Botany
student reinforced her love for the Garden. The subject of
her thesis was the development of a botany curriculum for
elementary schoolchildren. This later became the basis for the
“Grocery Store Botany” unit still taught by our docents in
local schools. She is a leading expert on California native
plants and wrote a well-respected book about them. Myrtle’s
vast botanical knowledge benefits both the Garden and the
Californian Native Plant Society.
Upon hearing of our plan to develop a building to house
our library, (our collection of botanical and horticultural
reference books is currently in bookcases distributed around
Garden offices) Myrtle enthusiastically supported the idea.
Myrtle believes, as we do, that allowing access to everyone
needing expert scientific and botanical direction is impera-
tive. As she says, “the important thing is to educate people
Honored and celebrated by the Friends of the UCBG in 1990, Myrtle
happily poses here with Jim Jones, honoree of the year in 1991.
about the joys of the botanical world.” The library will serve
not only the immediate Garden community of horticultur-
ists, staff, volunteers and members, but very importantly,
it will also be available to the University students and
researchers using the Garden, and the East Bay community.
The devoted affection which Myrtle holds for the Garden
is held in turn for her by all associated with the Garden—
staff, academics and volunteers alike. Never could the nam-
ing of a building at the University of California Botanical
Garden be more appropriate than this opportunity to honor
a human “living treasure” of the Garden, one of our most
beloved friends and staunchest supporters.
Please join us in developing a first class library for the
Garden by contributing to the library Fund using the enve-
lope in this issue, or, by contacting the Development Office.
2 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

DIRECTOR’S COLUMN
This summer the Garden most wounds. In time, like
is ringing with the plastic surgeons, our out-
sounds of construction! standing horticulturists will
In no small part, this is remove any vestiges of scar
due to the vision of two tissue.
key staff members who For now, open earth-
left the Garden this work remains only in the
spring. Garden manager area above the kiosk, the
David Brunner and site of our new electrical
Business Manager Elaine substation. Trenching will,
Meckenstock have taken however, soon move across
new positions, but their Centennial Drive to pro-

Photo by Peter Klement

efforts have brought us vide utility services for our
over $3 million in finan- new plant conservation
cial commitments from research complex on the
the University and over In the Corporate Yard, Grounds Maintenance Worker Gerald Ford surveys one of the west side of Centennial
$1 million in donations. trenching sites in the Garden’s electrical upgrade. Drive.
With these revenues, we Initiating the utility
have begun to not only repair the Garden’s decaying infra- upgrade has been somewhat like removing the key log from
structure, but also to develop new facilities for scholarly a logjam. Now, other projects will surge forward. On the
research and education in plant conservation. west side of Centennial Drive, we will construct the green-
Construction started at the end of May with the long- house for temporary care of the Cactus and Succulent
awaited utility upgrade, which will provide a much-needed Collection. Then, in August, construction of a replacement
boost in electrical service throughout the Garden. It will also for the Desert/Rainforest Greenhouse is scheduled to begin.
eliminate unsightly utility lines by moving all utilities under- With last year’s renovation of a utility shed into the
ground. As the trenches were dug, the Garden took on the Maintenance Shop, the way was prepared to renovate the
eerie appearance of a heart surgery patient on the operating Barn to serve as a new Staff Room for horticulturists. These
table. However, workmen soon laid the conduit and closed changes, in turn, will clear the way to turn the old Staff
Room into the new Myrtle Wolf Library.
In July, on the west side of Centennial Drive, we will
start construction of the new UC Botanical Garden’s Center
NEW DOCENT TRAINING for the Study of Plant Conservation. With a $1.1 million
bequest from the estate of Dr. Jane Gray, we will also begin
Join our select group of nature inter- final planning for the 4,000 square foot Jane Gray Research
preters. Learn about botany, ecology, plant Greenhouse. This greenhouse will complement the Jane Gray
evolution, plant geography, and ethnobotany, Research Laboratories at the Garden’s Center for the Study
and then learn how to share what you of Plant Conservation.
know with others! Primary qualifications Lest the Garden itself should seem forgotten, Rob
are enthusiasm and liking people. We’ll Ferber’s generous contribution (more on this next issue) will
facilitate the renovation of part of Africa Hill; this will also
teach you everything you need to know in
add an educational component that focuses on the conserva-
this 18-week class! tion needs of South African bulbs and succulents. While
reflecting the Garden’s expanded commitment to plant con-
Training begins servation, this project also demonstrates how we will be
September 11 at 1 pm taking advantage of our outstanding collections to lead an
international effort in conserving Mediterranean climate
Fee: $110 ecosystems. In its 110th year, the Garden is indeed surging
into the new century with renewed vigor and focus.
—Ellen Simms, Director
Summer 2000 3

EDUCATION AT THE GARDEN

Interpreting the Garden’s collections to diverse audiences
continues as the focus of our Education Program with
docent tours forming the mainstay of our effort. Through
the dedication of more than 100 knowledgeable, enthusiastic
docents, the Garden’s tours reach 8,500 students and visitors,
including Cal students, Bay Area students from kindergarten
through 12th grade, and senior groups. Additionally, profes-
sors from dozens of local colleges, universities and life-long
learning programs bring their students to the Garden. For all
ages, the Garden serves as a major venue for learning about
basic botany, conservation, ethnobotany, ecology, and plant
evolution.
In order to remain up-to-date, we annually select tours to
overhaul, then revitalize them with new content, activities
and props. This year, we added to the California Natives:
Plants and People tour six dynamic activity stations focusing
on food, shelter, games, and tools for living. We also
revamped the California Habitats tour with new props and
observational tools.
In this process, we work closely with faculty and other
experts. For example, Dr. Thomas Carlson, a medical eth-
nobotanist associated with the UC Herbaria, recently pre-
sented a fascinating Docent Enrichment program on the
Garden’s medicinal plants. He is following up this summer
by conducting two evening walks with docents, in which he
will identify additional plants to include in tours. This fall,
we expect to develop a new “rainy-day” tour, based on a pro-
gram, which features the medicinal uses of plants in the
Tropical House.
The stories of plants in the Garden are bountiful. I hope
you will take advantage of learning some of them through
our rich and diverse docent tour program!
— Dr. Jennifer Meux White

THE EXPLORER’S GARDEN: Rare
and Unusual Perennials by Daniel J.
Hinkley, foreword by Roy Lancaster.
Timber Press, Portland, OR: 1999.
Color photos, color map. 380 pages,
$39.95.
The thrill of discovering new
plants and sharing them with others is
at the heart of The Explorer’s Garden
by Dan Hinkley, one of America’s fore-
most horticulturists and garden writ-
ers. A teacher, nurseryman, and sea-
soned plant explorer, Hinkley shares
with his readers many plants new to
cultivation that he found in remote
NEW BOOKS
areas of Asia, as well as gems discov-
ered in gardens and wilds in both this
country and abroad.
Like Hinkley’s voluminous
Heronswood Nursery Catalog, this
book, written with inimitable style
and wit, comprises a virtual candy
store for collectors and plant addicts.
What plant lover can resist the seduc-
tive diminutive Asian hepaticas, or the
bizarre flowers of rare Himalayan
arisaemas? Or how about the absolute-
ly amazing patterned and variegated
leaves of the Chinese Podophyllum
species?
Sadly, many of these plants favor
the cool moist maritime climate of the
Pacific Northwest where Hinkley gar-
dens or the hot, humid summers of
the East and Midwest and are not
suitable for large scale plantings in the
Bay Area’s drier Mediterranean cli-
mate. Most of us cannot, however,
resist at least a few of these rarities—if
you have a shady stream-side habitat
like the Asian Area at the Botanical
Garden, so much the better!
In the introduction, Hinkley
briefly addresses an issue pertinent to
the work of botanical gardens as well
as private plant explorers. The words
“plant exploration”, he writes, “con-
jure scenes of exotic locations while
provoking questions about ethics and
ecology.”
Reassuringly, he also writes that
“(a) consciousness concerning the
need to care for our planet is now
greater than ever before... (and) we all
must garden and collect plants with
an understanding of the complexities
of the global ecosystem.”
Whether you have experienced the
excitement of discovering new plants
in far away lands, in the foothills and
Sierra, or just in your neighborhood
or local nursery, this book with its fine
photographs and entertaining prose
will not fail to delight and inform.
—Larry Lee
4 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

Haruko’s Moonlight

H On the rainy Saturday in

February when the Garden’s “new”
Japanese lantern was installed, the
moon just happened to be in the
same phase as that depicted on the
lantern’s firebox. The lantern is ded-
icated to Haruko Obata, a respected
teacher of Ikebana, the art of tradi-
Francisco, an entire room was devot-
ed to her work. Sometimes an
exhibit juxtaposed Chiura’s paintings
and Haruko’s flower arrangements,
showing how they complemented
each other. Throughout their life
together, the Obatas both were influ-
ential artists and teachers, helping to
tional Japanese flower arranging. promote and expand the under-
She was married to Chiura Obata, standing of Japanese arts, always
an influential artist and UC consciously making an effort to fos-
Berkeley instructor. The lunar con- ter communication between East
junction seems poetic because the and West. Even during the Japanese
moon was a recurring theme in her internment of World War ll in the
husband’s work. camps, they organized art schools
The lantern was carved from which helped sustain people’s spirits
granite about 150 years ago in during this devastating period.
Japan and brought here from the Setting up the lantern was most-

Haruko Obata photos by Elaine Sedlack

mountains southwest of Kyoto. It is ly the work of Shigeru Namba, the
in the Kasuga style, named for the stone mason from Osaka who built
Shinto shrine at Nara, where the the retaining walls around the
approach to the main shrine is Japanese gate. Myrtle Wolf refers to
lined with as many as 3,000 similar him as “a magician”. He helped us
lanterns. Used to light a path, these on his day off, driving all the way
The moon shining from inside the lantern’s firebox.
are lighted twice a year, once on from Woodside with his wife,
the night of the Setsuban festival Sakiko, and two year old daughter.
celebrated on the lunar year’s last day of winter. The name He brought a tripod, chains and a hoist to lift the roof of the
Kasuga probably evolved from the deer which are considered lantern. After leveling the base, Shigeru, with the gardeners’
to be messengers of the gods at this shrine. On one side of help, proceeded to assemble the other pieces, much to every-
the firebox a deer is carved, and a gardener remarked, “That’s one’s pleasure.
the only deer that will be allowed in the Garden!” The following month, a special dedication was held by
The lantern’s donors, Mary and Richard Schroter, were the Obata family in the Garden. During the ceremony, fami-
happy to honor Haruko. Born in Fukuoka in northern
Kyushu in 1892, Haruko Kohashi began the study of
Ikebana when she was 9 years old. She came to the United
States in 1910 at the age of 17, initially to study English and
western sewing, with the intention of returning to Japan to
teach. Instead, she and Chiura met in San Francisco and were
married in 1912. Beginning in 1932, Chiura taught art at
Berkeley. Haruko held classes in Ikebana during the day, then
came home to prepare dinner for her family. Often, she then
stayed up into the night to help Chiura with his painting.
She assisted him by grinding ink for the sumi paintings and
cleaning the brushes. So, for the large paintings which
required copious amounts of ink, by her own admission, she
did half the work!
Haruko’s own art was ephemeral, like aspects of the
nature it evoked, but its beauty drew a large, appreciative
Sakiko and Shigeru Namba setting the lantern’s base
audience. At the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition in San
Summer 2000 5

A Glorious Garden Party

A glorious day, wonderful wines, delectable foods,
marvelous music, a truly amiable and happy group of
attendees…what more could an event need?
A very beautiful Garden—that’s what made it so
special!
Many thanks to all of you who attended and support-
ed our 110th Anniversary celebration, the "Great Grapes
and Old Roses" Garden Party—it was a great success.
The Garden Party involved a lot of hard work on the
part of the volunteer program committee and staff, many,
many thanks to everyone involved. We especially thank
our event sponsors, without whose generosity we would
have had no event!

A.G. Ferrari Foods

Acme Bread Co
From left, The Obatas’ son Gyo Obata and daughter Yuri Kodani; Ajanta Restaurant
Haruko’s former students Kuwako Takahashi, Pearl Kimura (reading),
and Hiro Fujii; and Myrtle Wolf
Anna’s Place
Bacheeso European Gourmet Deli
Bianco’s Catering
ly members, friends and former students of Haruko’s read The Bread Garden
excerpts from the oral history taken by Kimi Kodani Hill, Built Environment
when her grandmother was 94. Then a procession led by Christopher’s Cafe
Kimi’s father and Myrtle Wolf led the way to the lantern. Coastcom
Because Chiura had painted extensively in Yosemite, the Fetzer Vineyards
Obata family brought water from the Merced River for a Peter Franus Wine Company
purification ceremony. Everyone took turns pouring the Gallo of Sonoma Wines
water over the lantern with a bamboo ladle. Green Acres Gardening,
The landscape architect who made the initial bequest for Maintenance and
a Japanese gate in honor of the Obatas, Geraldine Knight Landscaping Co.
Scott, had been a student of Chiura’s as well as a family Su Jacobsen At the Garden Party: TOP ,
friend. Mary Schroter also had taken art classes from him. Kensington Bistro Director Ellen Simms and
Ron Herman, the landscape architect who found and pur- Nancy Markell— Volunteer Coordinator Nancy
chased the lantern in Japan, had been a student of Geraldine. Taltarni Vineyards Swearengen; ABOVE , volunteers
Myrtle Wolf, a friend of Geraldine and the Obatas, had taken Muller Family Foundation Greg Govan and Ervin Hafter,
Ikebana classes from Haruko. All of these people have also Navarro Vineyards pour wine for tasting; BELOW ,
been connected with the Botanical Garden over the years. Masse’s Pastries guests line up for wonderful
Haruko and her granddaughter Kimi came for walks in the Peet’s Tea & Coffee Anniversary cake.
Garden until the mid 1980’s. Haruko passed away in 1989. Quorum Ventorum
Our Japanese lantern is dedicated to Haruko Obata, for Rick & Ann’s Café
holding up at least half the sky! San Francisco
Rose Society
The biographical information in this article is from Haruko Skates by the Bay
Obata’s Oral History and the newly published book, Topaz Moon, Storybook Mountain
by Kimi Kodani Hill, Heyday Books. For further information see Vineyards
Garden party photos by Pat Hatch

Obata’s Yosemite, published by the Yosemite Association in 1993. Toot Sweets

Vintage Gardens
There will be an exhibit of Chiura Obata’s paintings at the Whitford Cellars
DeYoung Museum this fall, October through December 2000.
6 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
GARDEN NOTES
WILDFLOWERS GALORE... In concert with the
California Native Plant Society, the Jepson Herbarium, the
Natural Science Guild, and the Oakland Museum, the UC
Botanical Garden annually co-sponsors the Wildflower Show
at the Oakland Museum. Curator Holly Forbes and
Curatorial Assistant Barbara Keller were one of four teams
who collected wildflowers throughout northern California to
display at this show. If you missed it, mark it on your calen-
dar for next year’s Mother’s Day weekend.
OFFICIAL VISITORS... In recent months, the Garden
hosted visitors from the China and the Philippines. He
Fangchuan, Vice President of Peking University, led a group
of sixteen visitors, who toured all educational and support
units within UC Berkeley. The group toured the Garden on
March 13th as part of a visit to the museums overseen by the
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. Dr. Domingo
Madulid and Ms. Maribel Agoo of the National Museum of
the Philippines toured the Garden on June 15th gathering
information in order to help develop a national botanical
garden in the Philippines.
PLANT SALE...The Garden’s annual cycle of plant sales
brings together many volunteers in the Garden. The Spring
2000 Sale was no exception. Our Volunteer Propagators out-
did themselves in providing a splendid array of plants. One
of the last duties of former Horticulture Manager, David
Brunner was to join forces with Horticulturist, Larry Lee
and Volunteer Propagator, Lee Anderson to produce a lively
Silent Auction at the members-only Friday Preview Sale.
Both then and on Saturday, docents and Garden Shop vol-
unteers helped with the cashiering. All contributed to a high-
ly successful sale that brought in $20,000.
CONSERVATION...Curator Holly Forbes was recog-
nized on behalf of the Garden during a dedication ceremony
on April 28th for the new Amsinckia grandiflora Reserve on
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory property. Secretary
of Energy Bill Richardson was present for the event, during
which he signed a memorandum of understanding with rep-
resentatives from the California Department of Fish & Game
and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The 160 acre reserve
supports several ecological zones, more than 300 species of
plants, and 95 species of birds, reptiles and amphibians.
Through our participation as a member of the national
Center for Plant Conservation, the Garden helped to facili-
tate species recovery efforts for the large-flowered fiddleneck
(Amsinckia grandiflora) which is listed as endangered both
federally and by the state.
A FALLEN TREE... During the night of June 16th half
of the old Italian Stone Pine, Pinus pinea, sheared away from
itself and fell into the Japanese Pool, taking the beautiful
Japanese maple with it, and crushing several things directly
underneath it. Now that the devastated scene has been
cleared up we can see that many changes will result from the
loss of the tree. The character of the Japanese Pool will cer-
tainly be altered for a
long time to come,
but it will eventually
acquire a new charac-
ter, probably even
more lovely than
before. Those of you
who mourn the loss
of the stately Stone
Pine can follow the
development of the
small Stone Pines
recently planted out
in their correct
Garden region, the
Photo by Janet Williams
Mediterranean sec-
tion, near the top of
the Garden.
WISH LIST
As there are no telephones in the corporate yard
it can be very difficult for the kiosk staff to reach
the horticulturist on duty, especially at week-
ends. If there were an emergency this could be a
crucial problem. For this reason our wish list
request this issue is for contributions toward a
set of walkie talkies. This equipment would
allow instant communication between the gate
staff and horticultural staff. Of course, there are
many potential uses for the walkie-talkies: spe-
cial events, summer camp and tour coordination
to name a few. They would be put to good use!
If you are interested in helping us acquire a pair
of walkie talkies please call Janet Williams in the
Development Office at 510-643-2937.
Summer 2000 7

Gardening Tips
Colors
■ At Texas A & M, the Beta Sweet Carrot has been devel-
oped. Maroon on the outside and and bright orange in the
center, it has a crisp texture and sugary flavor. It contains
anthocyanins (which contain antioxidants) and 50% more
beta-carotene (also an anti-oxidant) than garden carrots. The
Beta Sweet resulted from carrots which, native to the moun-
tains of South America, were brought back and used in a
breeding program for a number of years. Interestingly, one of
the school’s colors also is maroon; according to a report, this
prompted the research. Fresh Cut, April, 1999: 30, 32.
■ Plant breeders in Texas have been working on the state
Corn
flower and now, in addition to the blue blue bonnets, have
maroon ones (Texas Aggie fans like that), and also flowers of ■ The corn growers with whom the Frito Lay Company
pink, lavender and white. Horticulture 97 (1): 16, 18. (There contracts for special cultivars of yellow and white corn for
are complaints about hybridists breeding different colors into snack food processing have been advised not to plant any
the California poppy. Maybe this will happen in Texas.) genetically modified cultivars this season. The company
processes 22 million bushels of corn a year. Farm Journal,
■ New ornithogalums called the New Chesapeake Series will,
Mid-February 2000: 33.
if grown indoors, bloom 4 times a year. They come in white,
bright yellow, dark orange and vibrant orange. National
■ Biodegradable “eco-form” peanuts, made entirely from
Gardening 23 (5): 30.
corn are now available for packaging. Once they get wet, they
■ Dwarf varieties of ornamental peanuts with nice yellow dissolve into a dilute cornstarch solution which is completely
flowers are available in the Southeast; they make are good biodegradable to carbon dioxide and water by micro-organ-
ground covers. California Nurseryman 7 (1): 27. isms. Cornell Plantation, Spring 1999: 7.

And One-Up on Rose Disease

■ The American Gardener May/June 1999:11 lists selected
The Perils of Plant Pronunciation
disease-resistant roses. Those resistant to Black Spot include:
According to an article in Horticulture 97 (1), ‘Altissimo’*, ‘Ballerina’,* ‘Gold Medal’*, ‘Henry Kelsey’, and
these plants are frequently mispronounced: ‘Sunsprite’. Those listed in the category Insect and Disease
Resistant include: ‘Bredon’, ‘David Thompson’,
Achillea a kill EE a not a KILL ee a.
‘Dortmund’*, ‘Fragrant Cloud’, ‘Graham Thomas’, ‘Mr.
Ageratum a JUR a tum not aj uer A tum
Lincoln’, ‘New Dawn’, ‘Pacesetter’, and ‘William Baffin’. In
Anemone an eh MONE ee not a NEM o nee
the category Mildew and Black Spot Resistant: ‘Etoile de
Asarum ASS a rum not a SAH rum
Holland’*, ‘Frontenac’ and ‘Thereise Bugnet’. Under the cat-
Brunnera brunn EER a not BRUNN er a
egory of Disease Resistant: ‘Old Master’, ‘Peace’, ‘Scarlet
Cotinus KOTT i nus not koh TINE us
Meidiland’, ‘Starina’, ‘Sweet Inspiration’, ‘The Fairy’*, and
Echinops eh KINE ops not EK i nops
‘White Meidiland’.
Erica eh RIKE a not AIR i ka
Lavatera la VATT er a not lav a TEER a
* The starred cultivars are reliable performers in the East
Oxalis OX a lis not ox AL is
Bay. Depending on conditions in your garden, others may also
Penstemon pen STEE mon not PEN stih mun
grow in good health.
Polygonatum pol ee GON a tum not pol ee gon ATE um
Rheum REE um not ROOM — Dr. Robert D. Raabe
Saxifraga sax IFF re ga not sax if FRAH ga
Viola VYE o la not vie OH la
8 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

A Growing Tradition: The Garden’s Mothers Day Tea

Created by Eleanor Crary four years

ago, continued under the leadership of
Laura Wilt, and now Lee Hafter, Mother’s
Day Tea has become a very popular annual
event at the Garden. This year, at each of the
three capacity seatings, our guests enjoyed
tea, dainty sandwiches and myriad sweet
treats. Our guests heard springtime madri-
Photo by Diane Kothe

gals performed by the Cragmont Camarata

and enjoyed a diverse display of California
wildflowers provided by Curator Holly
Taking a breather after hosting the Garden’s Mother’s Day Tea…From left, Pat Forbes and Curatorial Assistant Barbara
Smith, Ramona Davis, Chair Lee Hafter, Elaine Chernoff, and Claude Babcock
Keller.

A Time to Smell the Roses...

A Fine Four! On a spectacular day in mid-May, 44 Garden members
Twenty-Five Years of Service boarded a deluxe coach and traveled to Sonoma County to
tour a pair of private gardens, each of which features roses.
To the Garden Group members reveled in the colors and fragrances of one
garden, in which the roses are planted together according to
This year, the Garden is honoring four volunteers
type. At the other, they marveled at the wide range of com-
who are celebrating 25 years of service to the Garden!
panion plantings chosen to enhance individual roses.
They are Iris Gaddis, Nancy Markell, Mary Pierpont
Everyone enjoyed a champagne luncheon at the Korbel
and Mary Schroter. All four started out in the Docent
Winery, and a tour of their private garden, as well. The day
Class of 1975, but as volunteer opportunities expand-
was capped off by a shopping stop at Vintage Gardens in
ed, three of the four branched out into other activities.
Sebastopol, where enthusiastic plant buyers succeeded in fill-
Iris Gaddis and Mary Schroter have become
ing the luggage bins of the bus! All agreed it was a great day.
tremendously prolific and knowledgeable propagators.
If you weren’t with us, be sure you don’t miss the next tour!
Nancy Markell has done just about everything in the
Garden—from docent scheduling and training to vol-
unteering in the Garden Shop and assisting Elly Bade
with ordering books. Mary Pierpont has remained a
steadfast and creative docent. A co-founder of Grocery
Store Botany, she is also a major resource on California
Indian uses of native plants.
The seasonal luncheons of the various volunteer
groups honored this year’s 25-year veterans. In addi-
tion, Director Ellen Simms hosted a luncheon for
them.
Photo byNancy Swearengen

Garden members are spellbound as one of our Rose Tour hosts explains
her gardening philosophy.
Summer 2000 9

Celebrating 110 Years of Growth: From New Caledonia to the Garden

In any week, the Garden may receive dozens of new plant Amborella’s carpel are sealed
accessions, yet few are delivered personally. Amborella tri- with a liquid, making it diffi-
chopoda did, however, arrive in the safe keeping of Brett Hall, cult for its seeds to travel a
Assistant Director for Horticultural Operations at the significant distance. This
UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. This small specimen unclosed carpel readily earned
tells a story of dedicated plant collecting-and nur- Amborella the label “primitive”.
ture-that eventually yields significant scientific Advances in molecular biology

Illustration by Jenny Wardrip

knowledge.
Amborella entered the collection of the UC
Santa Cruz Arboretum in 1975, thanks to two students
Todd and Virginia Keeler-Wolf. Working under the direc-
tion of Ray Collett, who believed it important to collect
plants from lesser known genera, the students found
Amborella plants in the misty mountains of New Caledonia.
Transported to California, these tropical plants required con-
siderable nurture to survive in a cooler, drier climate.
Enclosed in make-shift plastic tents, they were misted every
few hours for several months. Survive these plants did and
so did other Amborellas which germinated from New
Caledonian seeds, and grew into woody evergreen shrubs.
Even in the early years, as it acclimated to California,
Amborella was noteworthy as a member of a group of plants
known as basal angiosperms. Though not eye-catching,
Amborella’s flowers exude a nighttime perfume very attractive
to moths, which pollinate it. Unlike the most familiar
angiosperms, the carpel in which its seeds then mature does
not grow closed like a peapod. Instead, the lips of the
have enabled Amborella to fill
in part of the unfolding story
Amborella trichopoda of angiosperm evolution. As
Chris Carmichael, the Garden’s
Manager of Collections and Horticulture, explains, “Com-
parative genetic and morphological analysis of angiosperms
has recently shown that Amborella trichopoda is the closest
living representative of Earth’s first flowering plants.” In the
grand tree scheme of plant evolution, Amborella is a survivor
that stands alone in a lineage.
As this species continues its long journey from the moun-
tains of New Caledonia, one plant is now in the care of
Garden Propagator John Domzalski. Due to the specialized
growing conditions Amborella requires, it is unlikely to be
available for public viewing in the near future. With this new
accession, however, the Garden fulfills two key aspects of its
mission: conserving a rare plant and ultimately enabling
researchers to continue studying the process of angiosperm
evolution.
— Marilyn Setterfield

Recognition Contributions received from 2/14/2000 up to and including 6/19/2000.

New Members James Berger and Marian Feldman Rose and Robert Craig
Roey Berman Ms. Natalie Cremer
The Garden welcomes the following Ms. Diane Birchell Ms. Patricia Daniels
new members: Ms. Paula Biwer Mr. Lynden Davis
Arlin Aasness and Philip Youngholm Ms. Nancy Blackstock Stephen Dell and Julia Walsh
Mr. Aruna Abeygoonesekera Dr. John Bodle Mr. Walter Denn
Ms. Susan Adler Patricia and A. N. Brooks Ms. Rene Di Rosa
Dr. Dorothy Aggler Mrs. Caroline Booth Ms. Beverly Dobson
Ms. Margaret Alafi Mr. Martin Bovill Ms. Joanne Doi
Eleanor and Carlo Anderson Chava Boyarin Ms. Caryn Dombroski
Ms. Shiela Appleyard Ms. Martha Breed John and Margaret Douglas
Ms. Nancy Bailey Ms. Sandra Brod Mr. Jean Driscoll
Tamara Baltar and Claire Zukin Dr. Joseph Byrne Ms. Patricia Drisoll
Rube Bandihai Ms. Evelyn Calinog Ms. Zella Dutra
Richard and Barbara Barlow Ms. Susan Campbell Mr. Bill Eckes
Mr. Billy Barrett John and Kati Casida Ms. Anna Edmond
Ms. Maya Batchelor Ms. Judith Cayot Kathleen Eldridge and Tim Moulton
Leslie Batz Ms. Deborah Celle Mr. Vincente Elmgren
Ms. Carolyn Beck Mr. Max Chandler Mr. Timothy Evans
Ms. Lucinda Bender Irene Chriss and Catherine Brousse V. Fahnestock
Mrs. Noreen Bendetti Ms. Patricia Coffey Mrs. Katherine Farnan
William Bennett and Margaret Lynch Mr. Howard Cohen
10 University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley

Mrs. Douris Reed

Planning a Gift to the Garden? Gayle Reynolds and Keith Hollow
Ms. Margie Richardson
If you would like to include the Botanical Garden in your will, please let us Kelda Rinkleib
know whether you need any help regarding the precise language to be used. We Ms. Mary-Jean Rioux
Ms. Valerie Risk
can forward information to your lawyer or financial advisor about making a Ms. Mary Rose
bequest, donating appreciated securities, or establishing a charitable remainder Tom and Mary Rotelli
trust. For more details, please contact either Janet Williams in the Development Ms. Jeanie Rucker
Louise Russell
Office at the Garden (510-643-2937), or call the University Office of Planned
Ms. Marilyn Saarni
Giving on the central campus at (510-642-6300). Alexander and Minnie Sage
Ms. Nancy Sallee
Shirley Saunders and David Sharnoff
Ms. Judi Fates Ms. Sharon Krause
Mr. Andrew Schwartz
Mr. Harvey Feld Marie Kubin Ph.D.
Ms. Nancy Seaver
Ms. Margaret Filby John Kunze and Mary Sylvia
Marcey Shapiro and Star Woodward
Jean Fleury Ms. Holly Larsen
Ellen and Sherman Shapiro
Angela and Richard Ford Peter Lau and Susanne Link
Ms. Laurel Shearer
Helen Frevel and Adnan Sharkiah Ms. Sally Lawson
Ms. Pamela Shephard
Miss Kaiye Fung Ms. Yuk Wor Lee
Mr. Daniel Silva
Mr. Michael Gallagher Ms. Janice Leiser
Ms. Mary Flavin Simmons
Ms. Phyllis Garrett Mr. Roger Leventhal
Ellen Simms and Tom Colton
Lesley Gasparetti and Bill Ribar Murray Levine, Ph.D.
Lai Shan Siu
Ms. Lillian Gendler Vernard Lewis and Lisa Kala
Ms. Nancy Smith
Marion Gillen and Linda Edelstein Ms. Mary Lombardo
Ms. Martha Smith
Mr. Rudolf Glauser Ms. Stephanie Love
Ms. Ann Sorensen
Diane and David Goldsmith, Gary Mack and Heike Bettenworth
Mr. John Steinmetz
Square Moon Productions Mr. Bob Mannaberg
Ms. Emily Stoper
Herbert and Susanna Goodman Andrew Mariani and Nancy Goebner
Ms. Lynette Stromberg
Ms. Florenzi Grant Janet Mark and Terry Geiser
Mrs. Mavis Sullivan
Mrs. Dale Greene Christopher Martin and Kimberley Cross
Ms. Mimi Tam
Ms. Denise Gregory Mr. John Martin,
Ms. Anna Taylor
Thomas and Gretchen Griswold John Martin Landscaping
Ms. Susan Tealdi
Ms. Vera Grosowsky Ms. Kathleen Maston
Mr. Dylan Thede
Mr. Harold Hanham Ms. Mary Matejicek
Ms. Sherry Thomas Satterwhite
Mr. Daniel Hassler Ms. Phillis May
Mr. George Tomberlin
Ms. Kristen Hawkinson Pamela and Thomas McCauley
Keigo Uda
Barbara and Donald Hay Donald McIlraith
M. Vacheron
Ms. Mary Heffron Mr. W. McIntyre
John Van Slyke and Susan Mitchell
Ms. Amelia Hernandez Rachelle Ms. Mary Mikkelson
Frances Vanzile
Paul and Elza Hess Ms. Ann Miller
Ms. Helene Vercruyssen
Mr. Jerry Heverly Ms. Carolyn Mini
Micky vonRydingsvard
Ms. Ernestine Hill Mr. Milton Mobley
Pat Voss
India Hill Ms. Wendy Moorhouse
Marcy Voyevod and Sophie Elliott
Deborah Hill and Forest Weld Ms. Rose Morell
Mr. Phil Waen
Hillside Gardeners Club J. Morris
Mr. Robert Wales,
Ms. Shannan Hobbs Mr. Harry Neuman
Wales, Landscape Services
Mr. Jim Hobson Ms. Nancy Nicholson
Julie Warren and Herb Newman
Ms. Ling Chian Horng Bob Nutter and Diane Bond
John and Laura Weeks
Pei-Ling Huang and Daniel Chen Ms. Sally O’Connell
Andrew and Billie Wiesenthal
Dr. Sarbjit Hundal, M.D. Meg and David Owen
Norma and Witold Willer
Rosemary Hyde and Ellen Scheiner Evelyn and Frank Owens
Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Winfield Jones
Naki and Robert Irvin Ms. Karlene Paufler
Raymond and Barbara Wolfinger
Ms. Theodora Jaster Ms. Zenobia Payne
Mr. Ted Yednock
Ms. Kelly Jennette Dave Pearson and Julie Montanari
Mr. Todd Young
Ms. Lucy John Jacqueline Persons and Jeffrey Perloff
Howard and Ilene Zeiger
Jerome Jullien-Cornic, Patricia Peters and Gary Mattingly
Michael and Suzanne Ziegler
Quinta Botanica, Cacela Vecha Larry and Madeline Petersen
Katie Keller and Mohsen Pourmikail Ms. Carollee Peterson
Mr. & Mrs. Alec Keroso Carolyn Phinney and L. Moret
Peter Kessler and Monica McHenney Ms. Patricia Pierce
Grateful Thanks
Mr. Stephen Kirkish Ms. Rosie Powell The Garden wishes to thank these donors who have
made a substantial gift over and above membership:
Amy Kivel and Jim Floyd Ms. Jean Quan
Ms. Lynda Knaak-MacArthur Lorraine and Thomas Raison Ms. Mary Anderson
Ms. Patricia Kojima Ms. Leslie Rall Tom and Tamia Anderson
Pat Kramer Judy and Martina Reaves Eleanor and Carlo Anderson
Summer 2000 11

David and Lorene Benning R. and Marilyn Silva, GARDEN STAFF

Karen Biber and Thomas Holdford Livermore-Amador Garden Club
Dr. Ellen Simms, Garden Director
Ms. Diane Birchell Mr. James Wilson
Mrs. Caroline Booth Ms. Ellen Wyrick ADMINISTRATION
Ms. Martha Breed Angela Esparza, Administrative Assistant
Ms. Beth Burnside Special Thanks Gerald Ford, Building and Grounds Maintenance
Stephanie Changaris and Bruce Bonar Afrooz Navid, Administrative Assistant
The Garden would like to honor and thank those
Ms. Sally Chapman Margaret Richardson, Tour & Rentals Coordinator
supporters making substantial donations:
Ms. June Cheit Michael Rimar, Administrative Assistant
Ronald and Rosemary Clendenen Muller Family Foundation Candice Schott, Business Operations Supervisor
Creative Magic Gardens Nursery, Inc. Carrie Besso, President, Marilyn Setterfield, Administrative Assistant
Ms. Patricia Cross San Francisco Rose Society Nancy Swearengen, Volunteer Services Coordinator
Barbara and Fred Dengler Louis Caizza Janet Williams, Marketing & Development Officer
Jack and Phyllis Dolhinow Chris Davidson and Sharon Christoph
COLLECTIONS
Barbara and Donald Hay Ms. Ramona Davis
Dr. Christopher Carmichael,
Harry and Kathleen Heckman Klaus and Jean Dehlinger
Manager of Collections and Horticulture
Ms. Ruth Johnson Jana and Steve Drobinsky,
Holly Forbes, Curator
Ms. Suzanne King Omega Two
Barbara Keller, Curatorial Assistant
Diane Kothe and Frank Dobson Mr. Jerry Hashimoto
Dr. Robert Ornduff, Faculty Curator
Ron and Mary Lai Elizabeth and A. Carl Hemholz,
LaVerne and Douglas Leach Laird Norton Family Fund EDUCATION
Robert and Caroline Lichtenstein Mrs. James Jones Dr. Jennifer White, Associate Director for Education
Geoff and Ann Machin Robert and Esther Oswalt Christine Manoux, Program Assistant
Ms. Patricia Malango Philip and Mary Pierpont
Pamela and Thomas McCauley HORTICULTURE
Ms. Carla Reiter
Stuart and Melva McDonald Daria Curtis, Horticulturist
Alan and Ruth Scott, Scott Family Fund
Mr. Bill McJohn John Domzalski, Propagator
Mr. Joe Valdez,
Ms. Ann Miller Judith Finn, Horticulturist
Green Acres Gardening,
Ms. Sally O’Connell Peter Klement, Horticulturist
Landscaping and Maintenance
Lisa Olsen and Deborah Lohrke Lawrence Lee, Horticulturist
Myrtle Wolf
Dave Pearson and Julie Montanari Jerry Parsons, Horticulturist
Dr. Robert Raabe, Garden Pathologist
Jacqueline Persons and Jeffrey Perloff In Honor Roger Raiche, Horticulturist
Larry and Madeline Petersen
Piedmont Garden Club The Garden offers appreciation and thanks for gifts Eric Schulz, Horticulturist
from these donors in honor of: Elaine Sedlack, Horticulturist
Ms. Leslie Rall
Kathleen and Gary Rogers Myrtle Wolf from Ms. Janet Raiche FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Tom and Mary Rotelli Dr. Nan Crystal Arens, Integrative Biology
Gail and Daniel Rubinfeld In Memory Dr. Lewis Feldman, Plant Biology
Philip Schild and Shirley Dichek Schild Dr. Joe McBride, Environmental Science,
Mr. Richard Schneider The Garden offers appreciation and thanks for gifts
Policy, & Management
Mary and Richard Schroter from these donors in memory of:
Dr. Brent Mishler, Integrative Biology
Ms. Patricia Smithers June Falkner from Dr. Vincent Resh, Environmental Science,
Ms. Ann Sorensen Mary and Richard Schroter Policy, & Management
Ms. Tomiye Sumner Elizabeth Warner Hammond from Dr. Alan Smith, Herbarium
Mr. Pablo Valenzuela Mr. & Mrs. John W. Higson, Jr.
Jan and Tom Vargo NEWSLETTER
Amanda and Tim Hopkins
Mr. Robert Wales, Janet Williams, Editor
Bill and Elly Bade
Wales Landscape Services Mr. Nelson Wild
Andrew and Billie Wiesenthal Dorothy V. King from Administration 642-0849
Norma and Witold Willer Mr. Gregg King Development 643-2937
David and Susan Wirshup Ms. Gaylynn King Firth Director’s Office 643-8999
Ms. Linda Woods Ms. Gale Pickering Education 495-2805
Ms. Ellen Young Marie Spellman from Entrance Kiosk 643-2755
Diane Kothe and Frank Dobson Fax 642-5045
The Garden Shop 642-3343
In Appreciation Gifts in Kind Plant Collections 643-8040
Tours/Rentals 642-3352
ANNUAL FUND The Garden offers appreciation and thanks for Volunteers 643-1924
The Garden offers appreciation and thanks to these gifts in kind:
E-mail: garden@uclink4.berkeley.edu
donors for their generous contributions:
Claude Babcock Web Site: http://www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/
Ms. Barbara Beard Dr. Bernard Dietz
Mr. Ted Buttner, Coastcom Lee Hafter The Newsletter is published by the University of
El Cerrito Garden Club Kimi and Richard Hill California Botanical Garden with support from
Mr. David Hucklesby Dr. Robert Ornduff memberships. © UC Regents 2000
Justine Hume and Ursula Schulz Mr. Bill Weaver Articles may be reprinted with credit to the
Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society Janet Williams and Mark Wilson authors and the UC Botanical Garden.
 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Don’t forget Extended Summer Hours! The Garden is
open until 7 pm every day through Labor Day! Here’s a
chance to plan a leisurely stroll, or even a picnic and enjoy
the solitude of late afternoon and evening in this lovely place.
TWILIGHT TOURS
Every Wednesday evening during July and August, you
can take a tour with a member of the Garden staff at 5:30
pm. See things you might otherwise miss, get the inside
scoop on the different sections of the Garden, enjoy the spe-
cial late afternoon light, and perhaps meet our quail families,
or a bunny.
Free with Garden admission
MEDICAL SECRETS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
AUGUST 9 AND 16, 5:30-7:00 PM
Walk in the Garden with physician and medical ethno-
botanist, Adjunct Professor of Anthropology Tom Carlson,
for eye-opening information about plants that are used medi-
cinally by indigenous peoples. Dr. Carlson teaches Medical
Ethnobotany on the campus and has done field research all
over the world.
Free with Garden admission as part of the Twilight Tour
Series.
For information about any of these events call Nancy Swearengen 510-643-1924
MEMBERS DAY
TOURS, PICNIC, AND GRAPE TASTING
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1-4 PM
Bring your picnic and help us celebrate the end of sum-
mer in the Garden. Continuing with this year’s theme of
Grapes and Roses, we will enjoy a tasting of interesting and
unusual table grapes. Selected grape plants will also be avail-
able for sale!
Special tours for new members. Members only!
FALL PLANT SALE
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 10 AM - 2 PM
Fall is the best time to plant things in our area, and our
volunteer propagators will offer a splendid array of selections
to enhance your garden. Free!
FOODS OF THE AMERICAS
SEPTEMBER 24–OCTOBER 15, 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Don’t miss our colorful Latin American marketplace
bursting with amazing produce that originated in the New
World! School groups, grades 4–8, can arrange for special
docent-led field trips of the marketplace and the Crop
Garden. Call 642-3352 for more information.

the garden shop

Now carrying a range of products celebrating the Garden’s 110th Anniversary.
Featuring the wonderful image created for us by distinguished artist Yan Nascimbene,
we have T-shirts—both men’s and women’s, and mugs, as well as signed and unsigned
copies of the poster commemorating the event.
Also available are our new UCBG “Planting the Future” Garden caps and tote bags!
Gifts, books and plants—gift certificates available!

University of California Botanical Garden Nonprofit Org.

200 Centennial Drive, #5045
U.S. Postage
Berkeley, California 94720-5045
PAID
Address Service Requested University of California

Plants are for sale at The Garden Shop all year. Call 510-642-3343